SUMMER 2017: HIMALAYAN TREK & CLIMB

LADAKH-KANG YATZE

14th JULY - 7th AUG 2017

The Kang
Yatze rangeis the highest in central Ladakh and offers a host of interesting and accessible 6000m summits. This trip attempts climbs of the crowning peaks. Kang Yatze I (6401m) offers a beautiful snow and ice route up its North-East Rib for more expereinced mountaineers while Kang Yatze II (6245m) is a high but non-technical glacial trekking peak. These ascents are combined with
the beautiful 8 day Markha Valley trek and cultural tour of the Buddhist mountain
kingdom of Ladakh in NW India, all in a schedule of 23 days.

Ladakh is one of the premier trekking destinations in the Himalaya, a land of stark and stunning beauty. Its jagged peaks and richly coloured rocks are punctuated by valley oases filled with green willows and hilltop monasteries. The climate is generally dry and the mountains lie in the rain shadow of the greater Himalayan range, so are not normally affected by the monsoon. This will be Moran Mountain's 6th trip to the Kang Yatze range and we've climbed all four summits of Kang Yatze and other nearby objectives like Dzo Jongo (6220m) and Gapo Ri (6190m).

Prior Experience required for Trip:The expedition is equally suited to experienced mountaineers and novice climbers/adventurous trekkers who want to experience the Himalayas and ascend 6000m summits.Kang Yatze I provides a challenging alpine climbs, Alpine Assez Difficile or Scottish grade II/III in standard with slopes to 55deg and some pitched climbing - suitable for mountaineers with previous technical experience.Kang Yatze II (6245m)is an easier trekking peak of Alpine Peu Difficile standard (Scottish grade I) - physically demanding but suitable for trekkers and novice mountaineers. The trip is pitched to suit a wide range of experiences and interests. All members should have prior experience climbing or trekking above 4000m altitude and several days' experience using ice axe and crampons on snow terrain. For variety of experience and accessible challenge this is an ideal first Himalayan venture

Booking Deadline:30th April 2017

Trip Leader: The expedition will be led by a IFMGA British Mountain Guide or MIC qualified Mountain Instructor with extensive expedition experience. A second British guide will join the team if the group size exceeds 6. An Indian high-altitude guide or Sherpa will also accompany the team, plus cook and kitchen helper

Kang Yatze II (6245m) and Kang Yatze I (6401m) were both successfully climbed by our 2014 Ladakh team

Price includes Flights UK-Delhi and Delhi-Leh, airport transfers, Permit fees and Peak Royalties, all ground services in India, British Guides, Indian staff, all food and meals on trek or climb, bed & breakfast in Hotels in Delhi and Leh, camping fees, use of Equipment/Tents.15% discount on equipment purchases from Cotswold OutdoorNot included: Personal Insurance, Visas, Tips, Drinks, Lunches and Evening meals in Delhi and Leh.

References:
Guidebook: Trekking in Ladakh by Charlie Loram (Trailblazer 1996/2004) available on mail order from www.cordee.co.uk features detailed description of Markha Valley trek
Map: Ladakh-Zanskar: Centre 1:150000 published by Editions Olizane (2005): available on mail order from www.olizane.ch : excellent topographic map; GPS compatible

TRAVEL : Flight schedules: For departures from London we normally use British Airways who run two flights daily direct from Heathrow to Delhi – daytime depart 10.20 and overnight depart 17.25. Members can choose whichever flight suits best, the daytime flight being recommended to minimize jet lag. On return we will book the overnight flight dep Delhi 02.10 arr Heathrow 06.40 on Mon morning or a daytime flight dep Delhi 08.15. Members travelling from UK regions can take BA regional connections on payment of any supplement in cost. For members based in Scotland or North of England we usually offer the Emirates flight from Glasgow or Manchester via Dubai. We reserve the right to make bookings with other airlines according to the prices prevailing in Jan 2017, taking account of your preference and convenience of schedules.What is the baggage allowance? Allowances are restricted on the internal flight from Delhi to Leh and members must pack personal luggage to a maximum of 20kg plus a hand bag of up to 7kg plus mountain boots (which can be worn on flights).

PREPARATIONS:Insurance: All team members must have Rescue, Medical and Repatriation Insurance cover. In addition, cover for Cancellation/Curtailment, Personal Baggage, 3rd party Liability and Personal Accident is strongly recommended.
UK-resident members can take out comprehensive insurance with the BMC www.thebmc.co.uk . For Kang Yatze – the Alpine & Ski level of insurance will suffice rather than full Expedition cover.
Alternatively, a rescue-only policy can be taken with www.globalrescue.com at a premium of c £200.Inoculations: Tetanus, TB (BCG inoculation), Typhoid, Hepatitis A, Diptheria – essential. Rabies, Japanese Encephalitis, Hepatitis B – optional. Anti-malarials – not recommended. We will detail these fully after you book. Can all be obtained in 3 mths before departure. How much money need I take to India? You should take $350 (£300) in cash to cover Drinks, Tips, Lunches, Dinners and Personal Sundries plus a credit card for use in Delhi. There are ATM machines for extra cash in Delhi and Leh.Pre-expedition weekend meet: We plan to hold a pre-expedition training meet in Scotland on theweekend 22nd-23rd Apr 2017 price £360 incl full-board accommodation when all members will be fully briefed in the skills and physical preparation required for this expedition and can enjoy preparatory climbing together. The pre-trip meet is highly beneficial for prior familiarisation of personnel and strategy. All members should make the effort to attend, especially if this is a first Himalayan trip.Training: All members must endeavour to be in the best possible state of physical training before the trip. Base training over 3-4 months helps give you the endurance, stamina and mental reserves needed to succeed at altitude. Plenty of mountain walking carrying a load of 12-16kg and with a daily distances of 16-20km is recommended together with local training running, cycling or gym training. Those who have had a lay-off from the mountains must make special efforts to get back to good fitness. There is no substitute for getting out on the hills and mountains in UK and Europe in preceding months. There is only limited time to acclimatise and get fit on the trek itself. Mental preparation: Himalayan mountaineering requires a strong level of enthusiasm and motivation. Success on remote peaks requires determination, but the rewards are immense. The enervating effects of altitude coupled with harsh living conditions during bad weather must be accepted. All members must be mentally ready for these challenges to get the most out of the trip. A strong team spirit with a mutual support system and tolerance for between members of differing ages and experience is vital to success. All members must be willing to contribute to tasks like trail-breaking/cooking/setting up camps/packing supplies.Permits and Visa
A Tourist Visa is required for entry to India. The 30 day eTourist Visa can be obtained on-line in the month before departure at an approximate cost of £45.Special Equipment Boots must be warm enough to go above 6000m. Boreal G1 Lite, Scarpa Phantom 6000 synthetic or La Sportiva Spantik boots are recommended as a comfortable options. Light trekking shoes or trainers can be worn throughout the trek. Insulated leather boots such as Boreal Kangri, North Face Verto 6K or Sportiva Nepal Thermo could be used on the climbs, but we would not specifically recommend them and warn of the dangers of getting cold damp feet at 6000m. A 4-season sleeping bag, a lightweight down or synthetic Duvet jacket, and a large capacity rucksack (65 litres +) may be the only additional items you need. Otherwise the clothing suitable for Scottish winter walking/mountaineering will be perfectly adequate. We will send a full recommended kit list on request.

Weather Conditions The summer climate of Ladakh is generally dry and settled with a chance of thunderstorms or some light snowfall during the trip; there will be a large range of temperatures from +25degC by day to –10degC at night.

LIFE DURING THE EXPEDITIONAccommodation: Hotels, hostels or resthouses with twin en-suite rooms in Delhi and Leh; on trek all nights will be in tentsLoad-carrying: During trek members should carry personal effects, valuables and clothing (a 12kg load is ideal to give some training effect without overstraining the body). During the climbing exploration on Kang Yatze we will have support from high altitude guide and porters, but members will have to carry loads of 15-16kg to the high camps. Provisions for medical treatment: We carry a comprehensive medical kit on all our trips, and are advertising for a doctor or paramedic in the team. All Guides have mountain first aid certificates, and long experience of treating expedition ailments.Trek and Base camp food? Our base camp cook will provide a wholesome diet , eg:-Breakfast: Porage, Muesli, Omelettes, Paranthas, Chapatis
Lunches: Vegetable or Egg Curry, Dumplings, Puris, Chips, Pakora
Dinners: Rice/Dahl/Soya Meat Stew, Macaroni, Pizza, Chow Mein, Apple Pie, Custard, Fruit Cake
Snacks and condiments: Dried fruit, nuts, oatcakes, cheese, jam, honey, peanut butter, salami, ketchup, chutney and pickle, plus fresh vegetables, spices, and eggsMountain food: Members cook their own meals on any nights on above base camp. Hill food will include Soup, powdered Fruit Drinks, sachets Chocolate/Ovaltine, Tea, Coffee, Porage, Custard, Biscuits, Cheese, Jam, Honey, Fruit Cake, Flapjack bars, Chocolate, Boiled Sweets, Freeze-dried Meals, Tuna, Salami, Cous-Cous, Noodles, Mashed PotatoesIndian staff: We will have a Cook/Field Executive from our agent, Himalayan Run & Trek Pvt. Ltd plus a kitchen boy and two Sherpas/high altitude porters. Do I need to take my own tent? We can provide tents on basis of 2 persons sharing but suggest that individual members might prefer to use their own lightweight tent on trek and at base camp. The space and privacy of having your own tent is valuable. We will provide all tents required for the climbs above base camp.

Base camp comforts on our 2015 expedition

Trekking from Zinchen to Rumbak on day one of the Markha valley trail

Martin Moran at Skyu campground in the Markha valley

Evening light at Shang Sumdo on the outward trek

Don’t hesitate to contact us if you would like any further information on the expedition.We hope you will join us!